Yet, from one ex-Blue Jays Carlos to another, a mutual admiration society still exists -- until Tosca's Arizona Diamondbacks face Delgado's Florida Marlins with the game on the line.

"I couldn't have changed the atmosphere and the way we went about playing the game unless Carlos had been a strong backer and a contributor to what we were trying to do," said Tosca, now an Arizona bench coach, speaking of the Jays' 86-win season in 2003. "One thing I said we were going to do was play hard.

"If we ever had a less experienced guy who was complaining too much to umpires or not running out ground balls, I'd say: 'Can you take care of this?' And he would."

Delgado was Tosca's resource on certain things, such as a team dress code, making sure everyone attended a team function or even when the radio should be played in the clubhouse.

"I always knew that once we came up with something I could trust him to back it," Tosca said. "He had my back."

While Delgado always gives the highest praise to Cito Gaston, when asked about his seven former managers, he calls Tosca a "fair and honest man."

"In the 2 1/2 years that I was in that dugout, you didn't hear anyone else's voice more often or louder than Carlos," Tosca said. "It could have been 'let's go, good job,' but he was always encouraging his teammates."

THIS JUNE

Illinois University catcher Chris Robinson of Dorchester, Ont.; Mississauga righty Chris Leroux of Winthrop University and first baseman Nick Weglarz of Stevensville, Ont., are expected to be the top Canadian picks in the June amateur draft.

Weglarz plays for Team Ontario but is spending his March break with the Academie Baseball Canada in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

NEXT JUNE

Waterloo shortstop Terrell Alliman of Team Ontario; Bowmanville outfielder Jordan Waltenbury of the Ontario Blue Jays and lefty Andy Oliver of Vermillion, Ont., are the early winterbook favourites to lead the pack in June of 2006.

HOW MUCH?

What kind of money did Cuban defector Kendry Morales receive from the Anaheim Angels, in the six-year contract negotiated by Toronto accountant John Di Manno and Miami agent David Valdez? Well, how high is up? Morales received a $3-million US signing bonus. If he is in the majors he will earn $300,000 in 2005, $350,000 in 2006, $400,000 in 2007, $500,000 in 2008, $600,000 in 2009 and $700,000 in 2010.

Morales may elect to go to salary arbitration after three years. The Angels can void arbitration by offering $1.5 for three-plus years of service, $2.75 million for four-plus and $4 million for five-plus.

Since it is a split contract, Morales can earn $100,000 in the minors this season and $150,000 next season, $200,000 in 2007, $300,000 in 2008, $350,000 in 2009 and $400,000 in 2010.

GATHER AROUND

The annual Society for American Baseball Research will stage its 35th annual convention Aug. 4-7 in Toronto.

It's the second time SABR has met in Toronto, gathering at the Erindale campus of the University of Toronto in 1981.